Latest News Articles from Almsco.com

Article – Detection of strawberry volatiles

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Enhancing sensitivity for the GC–TOF-MS detection of strawberry volatiles

The magazine LCGC: The Column has recently published an article by Paul Morris and David Barden from ALMSCO, discussing how to maximise sensitivity in analyses of strawberry headspace volatiles. The method involves dynamic headspace sampling (DHS), followed thermal desorption–GC, with analysis by ALMSCO’s BenchTOF-dx.

The high sensitivity of the method allows detection of trace-level components in the headspace gas above fresh strawberries, in particular certain sulfur compounds that are important components of strawberry aroma.

The article can be downloaded by following this link

New Application Notes

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ALMSCO International has recently published several new application notes:

	Application Note 015 – Enhanced odour profiling of strawberries using TD and TOF MS. Describes the use of BenchTOF-dx and TargetView to detect and identify trace-level components in the headspace gas above fresh strawberries. The sensitivity and versatility of the system is demonstrated by an 'all-component' search against NIST and by a targeted search for various odour-active sulfur compounds.
	Application Note 016 – The advantages of GCxGC/TOF MS analysis for the identification of hydrocarbons in highly complex petrochemical samples. Shows how the benefits of GCxGC and BenchTOF-dx combine to provide a high-performance solution for analysing highly complex diesel samples. The separating power of GCxGC and the sensitivity of BenchTOF-dx allow structurally similar hydrocarbons to be detected, while the ability of BenchTOF-dx to produce reference-quality spectra aids compound identification.
	Application Note 017 – Time-of-flight mass spectrometry applied to the identification and quantitation of trace-level compounds in beer. Describes the use of BenchTOF-dx to detect and identify trace-level flavour compounds in a sorptive extract from beer. The ability of BenchTOF-dx to produce 'classical' spectra matching those in commercial libraries greatly simplifies automated compound identification, while the generation of linear responses at sub-ppb levels is a particular feature of the work.
	Application Note 018 – High-performance screening of pollutants in water using GCxGC/TOF MS. Shows how the benefits of passive sampling, GCxGC and BenchTOF-dx combine to provide a high-performance solution for detecting pollutants in river water. The quality of the analysis is illustrated by reference to the detection of PAHs, PCBs and pesticides, while the ability of the method to detect 'unknowns' with little additional effort is demonstrated by the identification of polycyclic musks.

ALMSCO presenting at various scientific conferences

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ALMSCO's TOF MS specialists will be presenting their recent application research at three international conferences in May and June 2013:

At the 37th International Symposium on Capillary Chromatography and 10th GCxGC Symposium (Palm Springs, USA, 12–16 May), a poster will be presented on developments in GCxGC for petrochemical analysis, focusing on rapid method development using GCxGC/BenchTOF-dx and the ability to translate methods to FID for quantitation.

At the ChromSoc meeting ‘Matrix challenging analytical science’ (Southampton, UK, 22–23 May), ALMSCO's Nick Bukowski will be giving a presentation describing how BenchTOF-dx can be used for ultra-trace detection and quantitation of lachrymatory compounds in complex forensic samples.

Finally, at the 11th International Symposium on Protection against Chemical and Biological Warfare Agents (Stockholm, Sweden, 3–5 June), ALMSCO will be presenting a poster describing how the combination of a continuously sampling thermal desorber with BenchTOF-dx and TargetView software allows the near-real-time monitoring of airborne chemical warfare agents.

Article on water sampling using GCxGC-TOF MS

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GCxGC–TOF-MS complements passive sampling for the screening of pollutants in water

The magazine Current Trends in Mass Spectrometry has recently published a collaborative article discussing how the latest sampling and analysis techniques – including BenchTOF-dx detection – offer considerable advantages for the identification of pollutants in watercourses.

The article, which is a collaboration between scientists at ALMSCO, the UK Environment Agency and the University of Portsmouth, UK, first describes how recently developed passive samplers allow detection limits to be lowered by increasing compound loading. This is followed by a discussion of the merits of GCxGC and the inherently sensitive BenchTOF-dx to separate and identify key pollutants in the resulting highly complex extracts.

The compounds investigated include a range of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides, with the high degree of compound separation and the spectral quality of BenchTOF-dx being the subject of particular discussion. In addition, the method was used to identify ‘unknowns’, using the example of polycyclic musks, which are of current concern because of their potentially harmful effects on aquatic life.

The article can be read by following this link:
http://www.spectroscopyonline.com/spectroscopy/Articles/GCxGCndashTOF-MS-Complements-Passive-Sampling-for-/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/807691?topic=126

Paper | Article on VOCs in food published in American Laboratory

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Analyzing volatile organic chemicals in food: Emerging trends and recent examples

The magazine American Laboratory has just published an article describing some of the latest advances in the monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in food. The article, by David Barden, uses a variety of examples to highlight some of the trends that are developing in this increasingly important field of study.

Detecting VOCs in foods has long been a particularly tricky challenge for the analyst. However, technological developments are now addressing some key issues in this area, and the article examines this by looking at a number of published studies. These include the identification of compounds contributing to the aromas of roasted pistachios, butter oil and cheese, the detection of off-flavour compounds from oatcakes and orange juice, and pinpointing the numerous sulfur compounds in the aroma of beef.

Trends illustrated include eliminating complex sample preparation (for example, by using headspace–SPME), speeding up analysis by automation of thermal desorption (TD)–GC, expanding analytical scope using methods such as GCxGC/TOF MS, and improving data analysis by use of data-mining algorithms.

The article can be found on this link: Analyzing volatile organic chemicals in food: Emerging trends and recent examples

Paper | New paper uses BenchTOF-dx and TargetView to detect hazardous compounds

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Near real time detection of hazardous airborne substances

J. Leppert et al., Talanta, 2012, 101: 440–446

DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2012.09.056

In this paper, researchers led by Jan Leppert at the University of Bonn in Germany demonstrate the sensitivity of ALMSCO’s BenchTOF-dx TOF MS by detecting trace-level chemical warfare agents (CWAs) in air.

The exposure limits of many hazardous compounds are subject to downward revision as their biological effects become better understood, but none come close to the limits specified for CWAs, which can be as low as 10 ppt. This application therefore demands highly senstitive instrumentation, with the added requirement for a short cycle time to ensure rapid response to changing concentrations.

To address these challenges, Leppert’s group determined the limits of detection for five CWA simulants using fast GC and BenchTOF-dx, in conjunction with TT24-7, a continuous monitoring TD system from Markes International. Limits of detection for these simulants were estimated to be 20–150 pg, which the authors say is two to three orders of magnitude lower than that for a GC used with a full-scan quadrupole MS. In addition, they were able to detect trace concentrations of real CWAs, including sarin, sulfur mustard in diesel, lewisite under humid conditions, and VX.

The authors point out that BenchTOF-dx produces ‘classical’ EI spectra without skew or bias, making them library-searchable and thus simplifying compound identification. Aiding the analysis in this case was TargetView software from ALMSCO, which was used to separate the chromatographic peaks and identify the target compounds.

Leppert says that “the combination of [thermal desorption] and the TOF MS results in a very sensitive detection system”. In addition, he says that the ability of the GC/TOF MS system to detect a wide range of hazardous substances could allow the application area to be extended further, to cover the detection of toxic industrial chemicals and drugs, or for spot-checking inspections of cargo containers.

Markes & ALMSCO poster presentations at PITTCON 2013

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ALMSCO and Markes International will be presenting eight posters at PittCon 2013, Philadelphia in March.

Monday Morning, March 18th, 2013 Room 204ABC
540-10P	Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography Combined with Latest Developments in Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometric Analysis for the Improved Speciation of Compound Classes in Petrochemical Analyses NICK BUKOWSKI, ALMSCO International, Bob Green, Steve Smith, Kurt Thaxton, Nicola Watson
540-22P	Recent Enhancements in Petrochemical Qualitative-to-Quantitative Workflow; Employing GCxGC–TOF-MS for Rapid Method Development and Automated Translation to GCxGC–FID Analysis NICK BUKOWSKI, ALMSCO International, Bob Green, Steve Smith, Kurt Thaxton, Nicola Watson
Monday, March 18th, Exposition Floor, Aisles 1600-2100
860-18P	High-Definition GC/TOF-MS Analysis of Airborne Chemical Warfare Agents Using Thermal Desorption Preconcentration and a Bench-Top Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer Employing Chemometric Software for Data Analysis GARETH M ROBERTS, ALMSCO International, Gerhard Horner, Joachim Ringer
Tuesday Morning, March 19th, Exposition Floor, Aisles 1600-2100
1210-11P	*Introducing Novel Advanced Data Processing Software for Mass Spectrometry Using Spectral Deconvolution and Chemomteric Data Analysis* GARETH M ROBERTS, ALMSCO International, Gerhard Horner
Tuesday Afternoon, March 19th, Room 204ABC
1510-3 P	*Near-Real-Time Sampling Technology Applied to Odor and Fragrance Profiling* STEVE DAVIES, Markes International, Lara Kelly, Kurt Thaxton, Vanessa Frost-Barnes
Wednesday Afternoon, Room 204ABC
2160-1 P	*Hydraulic Fracturing – Monitoring Environmental Impacts and Worker Exposure* NICOLA WATSON, Markes International, Lara Kelly, Meraney McCann, Kurt Thaxton, Vanessa Frost-Barnes
Wednesday Afternoon, Exposition Floor, Aisles 1600-2100
2170-11 P	*Diffusive Monitoring – A Cost-Effective and Quantitative Approach to Environmental Monitoring* NICOLA WATSON, Markes International, Lara Kelly, Meraney McCann, Kurt Thaxton, Vanessa Frost-Barnes
Thursday Afternoon, March 21st, Room 204ABC
2750-7P	*Determination of Trace-Level Odorous Components from a Polluted Air Sample Using a Hyphenated TD–GC/TOF-MS Technique and Data Analysis Software* Nick Bukowski, ALMSCO International, Paul Morris, Steve Smith, Kurt Thaxton, Nicola Watson

Following the conference and exposition copies of these posters will be available to download from either this or the Markes websites.

New ALMSCO application notes

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ALMSCO International has recently released two new application notes.

The first, Application Note 013, describes an innovative approach to GC peak integration, in which ions contributing to chromatographic peaks are intelligently distinguished from each other and from background interference. This results in cleaner spectra that allow accurate area determinations without recourse to time-consuming ‘quant ion’ analysis.

The second, Application Note 014, describes the use of BenchTOF-dx and TargetView to detect polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in diesel exhaust particulate. The sensitivity and ‘classical’ spectra produced by BenchTOF-dx allow accurate identification of PAHs with near-identical fragmentation patterns, while TargetView enables GC profiles of trace-level analytes to be visualised even when hidden under much more abundant components.

Both Application Notes can be downloaded here: Application note 013 and Application note 014 (you will need to log into your account or register for download).

Press release | Business as usual

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Business as usual for Markes International as Schauenburg International acquires a majority share

Markes International (Llantrisant, UK) has announced that Schauenburg International Group (Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany) has acquired the majority of its shares. This step was taken to enhance the next stage of the company’s growth and help assure the long-term future of Markes as an independent company. At the same time it strengthens Schauenburg’s position in the air monitoring field and strategically positions the group to take advantage of a high growth sector of the analytical instrument business.

Markes is expected to benefit substantially by being able to draw on Schauenburg’s 50 years’ experience of sustainable technology investment. Markes’ focus, facilities and all employees will remain in place, and the company’s founders, Alun Cole and Elizabeth Woolfenden, stay on as leaders of the management team and co-shareholders.

Managing Director of Markes International, Alun Cole, says ‘We’re really proud of the way Markes has grown over the last 15 years, and are sure this is the right next step for the company. At Markes, we’ve always believed in a personal, customer-focused approach, and joining the Schauenburg group means that we retain our operational independence while providing us with the management infrastructure and know-how that will allow us to meet future challenges head-on. In summary, we are really excited about the increased potential and opportunity this partnership offers to our company and our customers.’

Florian G. Schauenburg, CEO of the Schauenburg International Group, says ‘Markes will form a substantial part, and a new analytical technology segment within our Electronic Division with great potential and synergies. Not only that, but it will support and complement our efforts as system supplier to the environmental monitoring market’.

Markes International is a specialist manufacturer of analytical thermal desorption instrumentation and associated sampling equipment. The company’s comprehensive portfolio of products is designed to automate and enhance the measurement of trace-level volatile and semi-volatile organic chemicals (VOCs and SVOCs) in real-world samples. The company is widely regarded as the world leader in thermal desorption technology and supplies the following markets: environmental monitoring, flavour/fragrance profiling, material emissions testing, and military, forensic and counter-terrorism applications.

Markes also designs and manufactures innovative time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometers under its ALMSCO brand. TOF technology enhances the analysis of trace organic chemicals by gas chromatography.

The Schauenburg International Group is a family-owned technology business with more than 30 sites worldwide. The focal points of the business are in electronic technologies, machinery and equipment, plastics processing, and engineering products. Recent years have seen the substantial growth of Schauenburg’s Electronic Technology Division, with products for improved safety in mining and tunneling, environmental monitoring, and satellite technologies.

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Press Release | ALMSCO at PITTCON 2013

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Cutting-edge mass spectrometry technology on show at PITTCON 2013

ALMSCO International, a world-leader in time-of-flight mass spectrometry technology and innovation, has announced that it will be showcasing its latest suite of products for trace-level organic chemical analysis at PITTCON 2013.

On show will be ALMSCO’s high-performance TOF mass spectrometer, BenchTOF-dx™, which provides the analyst with the capability to capture reference-quality full spectral information at traditional SIM detection limits.

Combining selectivity, stability and speed with full spectral sensitivity, this unique instrument delivers high-definition mass spectrometry and outstanding performance for every GC application. Rugged and robust in routine operation, BenchTOF-dx is also more than an equal for the challenges of advanced research. It offers identification and measurement of both target compounds and unknowns in highly complex matrices and at the lowest possible levels.

Among the suite of products on display will also be a new version of TargetView™, a software package for compound identification following GC/MS analysis. Capable of detecting and identifying both targeted and unknown compounds in complex GC/MS chromatograms, for either trace-level work or for routine screening, the software has been designed for all GC/MS analysts irrespective of their field of work.

TargetView delivers rapid screening of chromatograms against compound libraries, and provides the analyst with the capability to quickly and easily create bespoke spectral libraries. In addition to this, a new batch-processing option now allows multiple files to be screened against a single library, saving a considerable amount of time for the analyst.

ALMSCO will exhibit BenchTOF-dx and TargetView on booth #4008 and 4009 at PITTCON 2013, Pennsylvania, March 17-March 21, 2013.

ALMSCO International’s product portfolio is used to advance a range of GC, GCxGC and thermal desorption (TD-) GC applications including environmental contamination, oil exploration, food safety, odour/fragrance, metabolomics, homeland security and toxicology.

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